Ripper and cutter wing for soil breaking



United States Patent 3,180,430 RIPPER AND CUTTER WING FOR SOIL BREAKING Richard L. Launder, Downey, and Ernie L. Launder, Montehello, Calif., assignors to H & L Tooth Company, Montehello, Calif, a corporation of California Filed Sept. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 140,009 7 Claims. (Cl. 172-790) This invention relates to earth handling and excavating equipment and particularly to a vehicle mounted ripper, it being a general object of this invention to provide a simple and practical soil breaking device for use on ripper bars or shanks and the like equipment.

Earth handling and treating equipment is rugged in construction because of the severe strains imposed upon the same. Rippers, for example, are very rugged implements that are forced to penetrate earth formations, and in spite of their ruggedness and in spite of structural deflections they are accurately set in order to achieve best results. When it is desired to lift a maximum amount of earth with a ripper, that is to loosen the same, breakers are added and these breakers are in the nature of wedges that trail behind the penetrating point of the ripper. Various types of breakers have been improvised and added to rippers but, for the most part, these breakers are ungainly and cumbersome. Not only are they characterized by complexity but they are inherently fragile and subject to being damaged. For instance, backing up of the tractors cannot be tolerated by the usual breaker structure without serious consequence. Further, the usual breaker is in the nature of an attachment and is not fully integrated with the ripper with which it is cooperatively related.

An object of this invention is to provide a soil breaking implement for use with rippers and the like and wherein a fewest number of parts are employed. In practicing this invention there is a single wing part held in place by a single releasable fastener or a single pair of releasable fastener units that frictionally hold the wing in position.

Another object of this invention is to provide an implement of the character referred to that requires but a minimum of modification to the ripper, or like implement, to which it is related. Either the ripper is provided with a special opening therethrough, a single opening, or an adapter block with said opening therein is attached to the ripper. In either case, the single opening accommodates the wing and the fastener unit or units for securing said wing in position.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a wing for soil breaking and which can be inserted in or through and retained in an opening in or through a sup porting implement, whereby the wings present lateral projections in the form of wedges that lift soil at the sides of the supporting implements when said implements and wings are advanced to penetrate the soil. The retaining units, when installed, occupy the portions of the opening that pass the wedge portions of the wing and which would otherwise be void when the wing is in working position.

The various objects and features of this invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of the typical preferred form and application thereof, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a typical use and installation of the breaker wing of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the wing installation shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed View taken as indicated by line 33 on FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken as indicated by line 44 on FIG. 3.

I 3,186,43h Patented Apr. 27, 1%65 ice FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by line 55 on FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse section taken through one of the retainer units.

Tractors and rippers therefor, and all machinery of the type under consideration, are heavily constructed and appurtenances thereto must also be heavily constructed. Obviously, dependability will follow from ruggedness, but it is also necessary to provide equipment that is free from unnecessary and extended complexity. For example, it is common for an attachment, especially soil breakers, to be awkward in that they involve a multiplicity of projected parts designed to trail behind the supporting implement. More specifically, the usual soil breaker for use with a ripper involves a triangular wedge pinned to and trailing from the rear of the ripper shank, and further guide shoes are provided to properly elevate the wedge.

The present invention contemplates the use of a tractor type vehicle X or the like, an implement Y preferably in the form of a ripper, and a ripper mounting attachment Z adapting said ripper Y to the vehicle X. The said ve hicle X is preferably a continuous tread-type vehicle having a body 10 carrying a power plant 11, driving facilities 12, and a chassis 13 with wheels supported by tracks 16. The vehicle X is a traction vehicle adapted to pull implements and appurtenances thereto located at the rear of the vehicle, as shown.

The ripper Y is adapted to be used as a heavy and rugged earth handling apparatus known generally as a scarifier or a grubber, and it is common to rotatably mount such a ripper. Said rotation is elfective in raising and lowering the ripper and its appurtenances, for clearance and for adjusting the depth of penetration into the earth formation. The rotative position can, of course, be controlled and set, as circumstances require.

The ripper Y involves generally, an arm-like shank A, a tooth point B carried at the terminal end of the shank A, and retainer means C to secure the point B in working position. The shank A is an arm-like element that is provided to carry a tooth point B and is adapted to be adjustably supported by the mounting attachment Z. The shank A is elongate having a flat front 21, a flat back 22, and flat sides 23. The front and back and the sides are parallel with each other respectively, the shank A being rectangular in cross-section with the sides 23 sub stantially closer together than the front and back 21 and 22. The shank A is preferably uniform in cross-section throughout its length with a mounting opening intermc diate the ends thereof and with a laterally and forwardly projecting adapter 25 at its active lower and terminal end. The adapter 25 comprises upper and lower faces 26 and 27 converging to a vertex, there being an opening trans versely through the adapter to receive a retainer pin.

The tooth point B is a removable element adapted to be secured to the adapter 25 above referred to, and involves a point 30 and a housing 31. The point 349 is a flat platelike part sharpened at its forward end and having a bottom face that has seating engagement with the top 26 of the adapter. The housing 31 is a U-shaped part with side sections spaced to receive the adapter 25 and with a lower wall that converges forwardly where it joins the point 30. Aligned openings are provided in the opposite side sections to receive a retainer pin.

The retainer means C engages through the openings in the adapter and tooth point respectively and it is in the form of a yieldinglyexpansible elongate pin. When in place or in operating position, the pin extends through both the housing and the adapter 25 that occupies the housing. The pin is a sectional structure involving like metal sections and coupled together by a separating spread er section. The spreader section is resilient and is tween the opposide sides '23.

sasoaso squeezed when the pin is in place, to the end that the tooth point B is urged tightly onto the adapter 25, the

said openings being initially offset so as to gain this effect.

The shank A is connected to the attachment Z by means of a coupling pin 28 that engages through the open ing in the shank, and by means of an adjustment device 24 included in the attachment Z. In any case, the shank A normally depends with the tooth point B disposed at an I inclined angle facing forwardly, as shown in FIG. 2. V

In accordance with the invention we providethe soil breaking wing W that is secured in working position on I supporting implement is to be provided with an opening 50 therein or therethrough and which characterizes the present invention.

As above set forth, the ripper shank is fiat-sided, having opposite sides 23, and in accordance with the invention the opening 50 extends transversely into or through the shank A on a horizontal axis normal to the sides of the shank. If circumstances require, an adapted block (not shown) is utilized in order to avoid enlarging of the shank, but it willbe readily apparent that such a block can be dispensed with by simply machining the opening 50 directly through a shank of enlarged proportions. A block, if employed, is welded to the back wall 22 of the shank and with its opposite sides coincidental with the sides 23 of the shank.

. The opening 50 is of peculiar and distinct shape, being composed of a round bore 52 and diametrically opposite However, there will be radially disposed recesses 53. circumstances when a single recess is provided for the accommodation of a single retainer unit. The two recesses are alike and they are in a common plane extending through the center of the opening 50 and in a'plane substantially vertical when the ripper shank A is in a normal working position. Each recess 53 has opposed parallel walls 54 joined by a semi-circular bottom wall 55, and each recess opens into the round bore In order to maintain flush fastener units the recesses are counterbored at 56 with fiat bottoms of the counterbores parallel with the sides 23. V V

. The wing W characterizes the presentinvention and same. Therefore, the wedges 65 are formed so that the faces 66 and 67 are spaced so as to fit between the opposed side walls 54 of the aligned recesses and the edges 68 and 69 are spaced so as to fit between the diametrically opposite bottom walls 55 thereof or between bottom 55 of a single recess and the opposite periphery of the bore 5-2. In any case, the clearances are such as to readily fit'or pass the wedges through the bore 52 and recesses 53 The wing W with its characteristics, above described, also involves a practical combination of the'same. The

wedges 65 are wider than the diameter of the bore 52 V and therefore terminate at opposed inwardly faced shoulders 61. that act to engage the sides 23 when thewingW is rotated into working position. .Thus, there is a positive mechanical lock so that the wing element cannot become displaced. Further, the relatively heavy cross" section of the central bearing portion 60, is carried or continued laterally and outward alongthe wedges in order to strengthen the same. Although this is not shown, the wing wedges can have upward or downward dihedral in order to work best in certain earth formations. Still further, the wedges 65 are swept backward so as to have a deflective function and so as todirect the. wing W to have a trailing action, and the frontedge 69 is bevelled at 70 in order to have an upward breaking action. In

' this preferred form, when'the wedges 65 are swept backward andthe bevelled portions 70 adjacent to the central bearing portion 60 are removed along a straight line 71 continuing'from the periphery of said bearing. Thus, it is possible to insert the wing W'o'f bent configuration through an opening 50, with relativelycloseclearances, said clearance along line 71 permitting angular turning of the wing from the-bearing 60 to the wedge 65 and vice said recess or'recesses.

it is a very rugged element of construction, preferably a a forging of steel alloy and especially formed and shaped for facility of attachment to an implement by insertion'into the'opening hereinabove described. Essentially, the

7 Wing Wis an-elongateelementof wedged cross-section adapted to be mounted transversely 'of the shank A. Firstly, the wing W is adapted to pass into place, and

it to rotate at will and without danger. of becoming dis-' placed.

. secondly it is adapted to be turned into an operative posi- In the preferred form, the Wing W involves a bearing portion 60 and a pair of oppositely projecting wedge portions 65. In carrying out the form of invention illustrated,

" the bearing portion 60 is round and cylindrical and such asto'rotatably engage in the bore 52. Also, the portion Thus, thecbea'ring portion 60 occupies the bore 52 h 1 The wedge portions are flattened in 'a. horizontal working planefand they have top and bottom faces'66 and 67; and'they havefrontfand back edges 68 and 69.

.60 is of an axialextent equal toor slightlygreater than g the thickness of the implement body to which it is attached.

versa.

The retainer unit or units occupy the recess or recesses 53 whereby the Wing W cannot escape from working position even when rotated so that the wedges 65 align with Only when the retainer unit or units are deliberately removed can the wing W be manipulated into and out of said working position. The retainer 'unit R is fabricated or sectional pin structure, following.

the teaching of Patent No. 2,699,153, wherein a. body of rubber is arranged between two semi-circular sections to 'urge them apart. -However, .thepin configuration required in the instant invention is decidedly different and the said pin. is put'to a different use than heretofore. More specifically, t e instant retainer R has a two-fold purpose, oneto occupytheropening 50 by being locked therein, and two to press against the .bearing portion 60 to frictionally hold the wing W in. position. As shown, the retainer unit R involves two metal sections '75 and 76 and'a spreader section 77 therebetween. The section has a convexrexterio r 80 to seat on the bottom wall 55 of the recess 53,. while the section 7 6 has a fiat or concave exterior 82 to seat and press against the periphery of the-bearing portion 60. The two pin sections 75 and 76 are spaced andparallel with opposed inner'faces 83 and 84 to which and betweenwhich the spreader section 77- isvulcanized, said section 77 being of rubber or the like resilient material'or member. The width of the retainer unitR is such as to fully occupy the recess 53 and its length is'substantially the same as the distance between opposite sides 2-3. Shoulders 85 project" radially from the .top 80 of the section 75 at opposite ends of said section,

,inorder to straddle the shank body and positecounterbore bottoms. at 56. y

- W is easily inserted throughthe key-shaped opening 50 provided therefor; that a single or pairaof retainer units R a e readily installed; that the said wing W is thereby' retained in a transverse working position wherein it is free to revolve as circumstances require according to 7 soil conditions. Thesaid retainer units 'R can be driven into place whereupon the tapered configurations of the .75..

ends fthereof cause: the: spreader sections to squeeze,

hereby permitting the opposite metal sections to move temporarily toward each other. This permits entry of the said units R into a central position where they are locked by the lugs or shoulders 85, and in which position they yieldingly urge the concaved sections against the bearing portion 6%) to frictionally hold the wing W in rotative position. With the opening 50 fully occupied and with the units R locked in position it is virtually impossible to have a displacement of the wing W. However, it is a simple matter to over-compress the pins by suitable manipulation and thereby deliberately dismantle the combination of elements. When in the working position, the wing is free to seek a proper trailing position regardless of the digging angle of the ripper, and during backing up and on turning maneuvers.

Having described only a typical prefererd form and application of our invention, we do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to ourselves any modifications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. An implement of the character described having a vertically disposed ripper shank, a circular cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough, with respect to the direction of travel, a cylindrical support member extending through said ripper shank in rotatable engagement with said cylindrical opening, a pair of cutter wings integrm with each of the extremities of said support member in said .transevrse direction with said cutter wings projecting oppositely of each other in said transverse direction, each of said wings having a bevelled portion extending along the length thereof and terminating transversely of the wing at its leading edge with respect to the direction of travel, each of said wings lying in a common radial plane of said cylindrical support member, and means frictionally engaging the latter to restrain rotation of the wings.

2. An implement of the character described having a vertically disposed ripper shank, a circular cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough, with respect to the direction of travel, said ripper shank having a recess opening into said cylindrical opening, a cylindrical support member extending through said ripper shank in rotatable engagement with said cylindrical opening, a pair of cutter wings integral with each of the extremities of said support member in said transverse direction with said cutter wings projecting oppositely of each other in said transverse direction, each of said wings having a bevelled portion extending along the length thereof and terminating transversely of the wing at its leading edge with respect to the direction of travel, each of said wings lying in a common radial plane of said cylindrical support member, and means occupying said recess and frictionally engaging said support member to restrain rotation of the wings.

3. An implement of the character described having a vertically disposed ripper shank, a circular cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough, with res ect to the direction of travel, said ripper shank having a recess opening into said cylindrical opening, a cylindrical support member extending through said ripper shank in rotatable fitted engagement with said cylindrical opening, a pair of cutter wings integral with each of the extremities of said support member in said transverse direction with said cutter wings projecting oppositely of each other in said transverse direction, each of said wings having a bevelled portion extending along the length thereof and terminating transversely of the wing at its leading edge with respect to the direction of travel, each of said wings lying in a common radial plane of said cylindrical support member and extending angularly from the central longitudinal axis of said cylindrical opening, and means occupying said recess and frictionally engaging said cylindrical support member to restrain rotation of the wings.

4. An implement of the character described having a vertically disposed ripper shank, a circular cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrongh, with respect to the direction of travel, said ripper shank having a recess opening into said cylindrical opening, a cylindrical support member extending through said ripper shank in rotatable fitted engagement With said cylindrical opening, a pair of cutter wings integral with each of the extremities of said support member in said transverse direction with said cutter wings projecting oppositely of each other in said transverse direction, each of said wings having a bevelled portion extending along the length thereof and terminating transversely of the wing at its leading edge with respect to the direction of travel, one side of each wing extending radially from the outer diameter of said support member to form opposed locating shoulders, and with the other side thereof terminating at said support member, each of said wings lying in a common radial plane of said cylindrical support member, and means occupying said recess and frictionally engaging said support member to restrain rotation of the wings.

5. An implement of the character described having a vertically disposed ripper shank, a circular cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough, with respect to the direction of travel, said ripper shank having a recess opening into said cylindrical opening, a cylindrical support member extending through said ripper shank in rotatable fitted engagement with said cylindrical opening, a pair of cutter wings integral with each of the extremities of said support member in said transverse direction with said cutter wings projecting oppositely of each other in said transverse direction, each of said wings having a bevelled portion extending along the length thereof and terminating transversely of the wing at its leading edge with respect to the direction of travel, the trailing edge of each wing extending radially from the outer diameter of said support member to form opposed locating shoulders, with the leading edges thereof terminating at said support member, each of said wings lying in a common radial plane of said cylindrical support member, said recess being sufliciently large to pass said locating shoulders, and means occupying said recess and frictionally engaging the support member to restrain rotation of the wmgs.

6. An implement of the character described having a vertically disposed ripper shank, a circular cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough, with respect to the direction of travel, said ripper shank having a recess opening into said cylindrical opening, a cylindrical support member extending through said ripper shank in rotatable fitted engagement with said cylindrical opening, a pair of cutter Wings integral with each of the extremities of said support member in said transverse direction with said cutter wings projecting oppositely of each other in said transverse direction, each of said wings having a bevelled portion extending along the length thereof and terminating transversely of the wing at its leading edge w1th respect to the direction of travel, the trailing edge of each wing extending radially from the outer diameter of said support member and terminating at said shank to form opposed locating shoulders engaging said ripper shank, with the leading edges thereof terminating at said support member, each of said wings lying in a common radial plane of said cylindrical support member, said recess being sutiiciently large to pass said locating shoulders, and means occupying said recess and frictionally engaging the support member to restrain rotation of the wings.

7. An implement of the character described having a vertically disposed ripper shank, a circular cylindrical opening extending transversely therethrough, with respect to the direction of travel, said ripper shank having a pair of diametrically opposite recesses opening radially into said cylindricalopening, a cylindrical support member ex tending through said ripper shank in rotatable fitted engagement with said cylindrical opening, a pair of cutter wings integral with each of the extremities of said sup 9 port member in said transverse direction with said cutter wings projecting oppositely of each other in said trans:

extending radially from the outer diameter of said sup-- port member and terminating at said shank to form opposed locating shoulders engaging said ripper shank, with the leading edges thereof terminating at said support member, each of said wings lying in a common radial plane of said cylindrical support member, said recesses being sufliciently large to pass said wings, and means occupying saidfrecesses and frictionally engaging said support member to restrain rotation of the wings.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Whitehurst 17 2-722 Warren 172-699 Horinek 172-699 'Fowler 172-194 Hansen 172-720 Collins et al. 172-699 Launder et a1 37-142 Wilson. 7

Altgelt et al. 172-720 Launder 37-142 9 Johnson 172-194 11/58 France;

T. GRAHAM CRAVER, Primary Examiner. 20 A. JOSEPH GOLDBERG, Examiner. 

7. ALL IMPLEMENT OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED HAVING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED RIPPER SHANK, A CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL OPENING EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THERETHROUGH, WITH RESPECT TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, SAID RIPPER SHANK HAVING A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE RECESSES OPENING RADIALLY INTO SAID CYLINDRICAL OPENING, A CYLINDRICAL SUPPORT MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID RIPPER SHANK IN ROTATABLE FITTED ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CYLINDRICAL OPENING, A PAIR OF CUTTER WINGS INTEGRAL WITH EACH OF THE EXTREMITIES OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER IN SAID TRANSVERSE DIRECTION WITH SAID CUTTER WINGS PROJECTING OPPOSITELY OF EACH OTHER IN SAID TRANSVERSE DIRECTION, EACH OF SAID WINGS HAVING A BEVELLED PORTION EXTENDING ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF AND TERMINATING TRANSVERSELY OF THE WING AT ITS LEADING EDGE WITH RESPECT TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, THE TRAILING EDGE OF EACH WING EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM THE OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND TERMINATING AT SAID SHANK TO FORM OPPOSED LOCATING SHOULDERS ENGAGING SAID RIPPER SHANK, WITH THE LEADING EDGES THEREOF TERMINATING AT SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, EACH OF SAID WINGS LYING IN A COMMON RADIAL PLANE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID RECESSES BEING SUFFICIENTLY LARGE TO PASS SAID WINGS, AND MEANS OCCUPYING SAID RECESSES AND FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO RESTRAIN ROTATION OF THE WINGS. 